A Childhood Promise
by meatandrice
Summary: A short Zoro 'what if' after the end of One Piece. If you figure out who Zoro is talking to before reading the authors notes, props to you.


This is a what-if story that takes place after One Piece. 

Please read the notes at the end, it should clarify some things if the story seemed a bit off.

A Childhood Promise

By meatandrice

"…but Luffy and Chopper were screaming their heads off. I didn't hear what they were saying." Zoro said quietly, almost a whisper. Zoro took another sip of Sake from his saucer. He savored each and every drop, feeling the warmth spread through his throat and chest. After all, it was his sensei's finest bottle, not something to be wasted.

It was as close to a perfect day as he had seen in a long time. The sun was out and the sky was as blue as the sea, with a few stray clouds dancing across the sky. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling his own body. Thirteen cuts, two of which were serious; four bruises, and a fractured rib.

"I was more wounded than he was, I think," Zoro continued, "but we both knew it would end with the next strike. Swordsman's instinct, I guess. There was a lot of blood on the ground but most of it was mine. I was a little worried that I might slip on it, but knew I wouldn't. I closed my eyes, and for the first time, I could feel you there with me." Zoro looked next to him and smiled slightly.

----------

Thrust, parry, parry, swing, dodge, thrust. To them, it was a dance of steel and blood. To anyone else, it was like watching two titans clashing; brutal and violent forces of nature trying to overpower the other. For a full twenty minutes the clanging of steel against steel could be heard for miles, and it was clear both fighters were at their limit. The two greatest swordsmen of the sea finally broke the melee and stood facing each other, a mere ten yards apart.

Zoro could feel it. He was so close to death it was almost laughable. He tried to look at the man across from him but his vision was so blurred he couldn't even make out where Mihawk's sword was. Zoro tried to adjust his footing but almost slipped on a pool of blood that was probably his own.

He had felt this way before. Once when he was fighting the six-sword-style octopus in Arlong Park, still recovering from his first fight with Mihawk; and once more when he fought Mr.1 in Arabasta. Everything becomes clear so close to death, it seems. Zoro closed his eyes.

He could hear, feel… _be_ everything around him. But he didn't care. All that was there was his opponent, the greatest swordsman in the world, "Hawkeyes" Mihawk. But then he felt something else, something he never felt before, something that shouldn't be there. A presence he hadn't felt in years. It gave him strength. Zoro charged.

Ten steps. The wind was blowing from behind him, giving him wings.

Eight steps. There was no ground, no distance between himself and his opponent. Only time.

Six steps. No pain, no thought. Only instinct.

Four steps. The three blades he wielded trembled with power, and sang with voices of their own.

Two steps. Promises, memories, life, all had weight of their own, and were made real.

One step. Victory or Defeat?

----------

"I don't remember what happened after that, but I'm told he hit the ground before I did. He was holding back. It's not that hard to tell. But then again, I held back too." Zoro finished the last of his Sake and sighed with contentment. The breeze blew some sakura leaves toward him, from the tree on top of a hill in the distance. He caught one and slowly felt it between his thumb and forefinger. It was soft and pillowy, and ever-so-slightly warm. He let go and watched the leaf resume its flight toward the horizon.

"He asked me why I didn't kill him. All I could say was that it would be a waste to kill such a brilliant swordsman. I get the feeling he would have answered the same way had our positions been reversed." Zoro stood and removed Wadou Ichimonji from his side.

"I may have beaten him, _maybe_, but I haven't kept my promise yet. Before I can become the best, I have to find my own strength and stop relying on yours." He kissed the hilt of Wadou Ichimonji, his favorite sword and most treasured possession, and laid it on the gravestone at his feet.

"Thank you."

The greatest swordsman in the world walked away, hands at his side, eyes toward the sky.

The End.

Notes on this fanfic:

I'm writing this fanfic after completing the Skypeia arc in the anime. Fansubbed, mind you, not the butchered 4Kids version. So yes, Sanji does smoke, it's Arabasta, and Luffy does not yell out "Gum Gum Punch." This is my imaginary version of what happens to Zoro at the end of One Piece, nothing in the anime or manga supports or denies what happens here.

The most obvious thing about this story is that Zoro is acting extremely out of character. This takes place years after where I left off, and Zoro is bound to have changed a little by then. Also, he is speaking to Kuina, someone he respects and loves so naturally he would be a little more open when it comes to talking.

I don't think Zoro and Mihawk, people who respect each other immensely, would kill each other in a duel just to prove who's better.

Zoro's swords didn't break this time for the same reason Wadou Ichimonji didn't break in his first duel with Mihawk. Because they're master-work swords.

Zoro always seems to have an epiphany and transcends himself when he is pushed to the edge, on the brink of death. This can be seen several times in the series (First fight with Mihawk, fight with octopus dude in the Arlong Arc, Mr.1 in the Arabasta arc, and perhaps more I haven't seen yet.) and I felt no reason to exclude this from his fight with Mihawk.

Hope you enjoyed the fic and thanks for reading!


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